The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-02-23

Constitution and Union, their people
felt just pride in the Union to which
| they had contributed so much, and
shrank from the abhorrent thought of
abandoning it until affection was last in
the realization that danger was immi-
nent.
Content with their Institutions, and
willing to allow Others the full enjoy
ment of all their rights, the South
sought NOT to meddle with the affairs of
Others, and asked only to be let alone in
the quiet enjoyment of their own. But
they were denied this, and continually
were offended by the querulous voice of
opposition to their peculiar Institution,
and threatened with aggression.
The feeble cry, whicn at first was ut
| tered to unburden tender conscience,
awakened by an imaginary responsible
| ty for fancied sin committed by other
| people, oblivious of, or inattentive to its
own, became at length the triumphant
shout of victorious host, arousing the
too eonfding South from its fancied Sc
curity in the Union, in which it was
thus exposed: and then when it was too
late, was attempted what might sooner
have been easily accomplished.
The Southern people had beheld with
painful solicitude the growth of senti.
ment hostile to their interests from
small beginnings to a vast political
power, which at last exhibited strength
sufficient to control Presidential cleo
tion, and eliminated in party triumph,
hostile to their dearest rights.
What were they to do2 Were they to
sit still and look :supinely on and take
! mo cfa 70 thraaN11ol
| Were they to initiate the simple, who
passeth heedlessly on, and is punished !;
or the prudent who foreseeth the evil,
and avoideth it? The suggestion is
readily and tauntingly made; they did
not avoid it, but aggravated the evil they
| feared by the course pursued. The
declaration is more easily made than
proved. Who can say what would have
been the result of quietly waiting the
course of events? Has power ever been
known TO curb itself? Have enthusiasm
Tand fanaticism ever placed impossible
| bounds to their excess? Would senti-
ment and religious fervor, quickened
into zeal, and pressed into partisan ser
vice, have been contended with moder-
alton in the exercise of official power?
Would not the progress made and tri-
umph gained soon have demanded
greater? Let history answer.
1t is probably true that delay of ac-
| tion by the Southern people would have
| left them for time in the enjoyment of
| their rights, but how long, no one can
| tell or plausably conjecture. We might
have escaped the contest, to be precipi-
| tated upon our Children, or theirs; but
time surely would have come when the
alternative would have been presented
of despoilment or resistance. How long
it would have been postponed no one
can tell. Whether our people acted
wisely in doing as they did, or would
have been gamers by delay, or were cul-
pable in loving the Union so we'll and
deferring action so long, must forever
remain unanswered, because unanswera-
BILE.
All seek to maintain is that, whether
wise or unwise, the course of the South
was justified by wellfounded apprehen-
sions of danger of great injury, as indi-
Gated by demonstrations apparently hos
tile and threatening on the part of the
North; and that the Indictment against
the Southern people for wantonly and
eapriciously surrendering the ties that
bind them to the Union is calumnious
and unmaintainable.
The false view so often urged, that
mad ambition melted prominent leaders,
who misled the Southern people, is
wholly groundless. Never was the en-
thusiasm Of the masses more nearly uni
yersal. History records no instance of
greater approximation to unanimity
| among people than characterized our
Southern movement. True, there were
| differences of opinion as to what was
best to be done, but the apprehension
was general, and the conviction univer-
sal, that danger was emmiuent, and that
something must be done, in some way,
| to avert it. Surely the universally of
the apprehension was an indication of
some just ground for such widespread
| concern. All classes and conditions
shared the feeling. The non-slaveholder
of the day, most generally, was found in
the front rank of the advocates of ac-
| ton, while those who hesitated and
were disposed to delay were oft'times
most largely interested in the great in
stitution supposed to be directly imper-
illed by the crisis upon the country.
When the mists of prejudice which
now, to some extent, envelope it, shall
have been dispelled, and our cause shall
be seen as it was by the unobstrueted
view of impartial history, full justice
will be done to the motives of the Con-
federates, as has already been done to
their valor.
The valor of our people compelled
recognition, for it was so conspicuous,
so tangible and manifest, it could not
but be seen, admired and acknowled.
But motive is not thus capable at once
| of securing recognition, and the subJec-
| ton of our motives to persistent mlsrep-
resentation has partially succeeded In
obscuring from view the true impelling
cause of our action: and besides this,
we encountered the prejudices of the
civilized world, in our struggle for the
maintenance of an institution which had
received its condemnation.
1t devolves on US, who were part OF 1t,
to vindicate the truth of our history,
and preserve our self-respect in the same
spirit in which we render true allegiance
to our present government.
| l will not be understood as counseling
the cherishing of feeling of bitterness
to the government of the United States.
Far from it. / affirm that the same
principle which animated the ardent
Confederate in espousing the cause OF
the Confederacy will inspire his deyo-
ton to any government of which he is a
citizen. In both cases it is love of coun
try-an extension of the principle oil
self love, born in every heart, and going
forth TO family and country in its en-
larging circle. A man loves his country
partly, because it is his, partly, from as
sociation, and partly from sentiment
and duty, in return for its benefits and
! protection. The government of the
United States, in return for justice and
kindness and trust, could find no truer
braver, more attached people than the
late Confederates. IL there has beer
, backwardness ON the part Of the people
!. of the Southern States to accept In fui
, the results involved a complete revolu
, ton of all their thoughts and feeling
and sentiments-that their traditiona
ideas we're shocked, their pride mortified
their sentiments offended, their sense o
propriety disregarded-that their who'll
! moral nature has been violently out
! ragged in what they have been called T.
{ endure. No wonder they were no
. ready to sing pseans to the Union whlcl
! called them 10 submit to so much tha
. is distasteful, when they had so recent
| mourned the cause they loved so We
1 and for which they had endured S
/ much. Surely enlightened statesme
can properly appreciate and tolerate
|, feeling like thisl and can realize ia
Z truth that they who were faithful, ami
: the terrible troubles of war, to the caus
they espoused, will in time of trial prov
equally faithful to another.
!. 1t was natural, after the war had enc
l ed, by triumph on one side and defea
! and subiugation on the other, that th
! i ecstacy of delight on the one side shoul